Letters to the editor for October 2, 2012

At last, “trickle down.” Thank God for the enormous profits earned by the CEO’s of our major corporations and the oil speculators. You know, those one percenters holding 90 percent of the country’s wealth. I’m confident it will only be weeks before they commence spending those profits “spreading the wealth” — and we will see a significant turnaround in our economy, and the sufferings of the rest of us will finally be at an end.

Of course I’ve only been waiting since 1981, but as they say, patience is a virtue.

Allan Bell

Twain Harte

For what?

To the Editor,

Every day as I drive up and down the hill on Highway 108 I am amazed at what a monstrosity the Phase 2 bypass is for such a small community!

They moved one hill to make three mountains and have planted four 70 foot high cement pillars where panoramic views and pristine tree studded hillsides once stood. This massive type of freeway overpass construction is typically seen in a large metropolitan area, not a small community like Sonora.

We could have merely widened the existing Highway 108 for a fraction of the $52 million price tag we are now committed to pay.

The footprint this project leaves behind will be huge. Truckloads of water are being used per day in an attempt to keep the dust down. Thousands of gallons of spent diesel fuel are being disbursed into the atmosphere in order to operate the enormous bulldozers and other earth moving equipment.

They stripped the ground of all its natural vegetation then sprayed it with an awful looking synthetic green substance that is meant to prevent erosion.

The citizens of Tuolumne County are asked to conserve water yet this project spews thousands of gallons per day to keep the dust down.

Our law enforcement force was reduced because of budget cuts yet we waste two patrolmen to sit on the side of the road consuming expensive fuel with their engines running and lights flashing while cars are slowly being directed through the construction zones with CalTrans flagmen and temporary stop lights.

For what? All this could have been accomplished by merely widening the existing road.

Barry Boricchio

Sonora

Vote no on Summerville bond

To the Editor,

Summerville High School District Board members are proposing a bond issue to borrow $8 million for the taxpayers to pass on the upcoming election. We, as taxpayers, are already paying a general obligation bond called Measure Q for $9.9 million which passed in 1998 for Summerville High School.

Board members say this is an extension of the previous bond not a new tax. This is a new tax — don’t let them try to fool you. Two years ago they tried to pass Measure G which was defeated.

This is not only an insult to the taxpayers, but they hired a Consultant out of Walnut Creek, Greg Isom of Isom Advisors to run the campaign for Measure H. Isom at a recent board meeting said the company would charge taxpayers $60,000 to $75,000 for running the campaign should the measure pass — this is an added insult to taxpayers.

We are in tough economic times now in Tuolumne County, with senior citizens living on fixed incomes and others without incomes due to high unemployment. Residents are leaving Tuolumne County in droves. We can’t support increased taxes; we are drowning and need to come up for air.

I ask each voter in Summerville High School District to vote no on Measure H!

Jerry Morrow

Mi-Wuk Village

Follow UnionDemocrat.com

Today's front page

Get home delivery of the Union Democrat for only $7.00 a month. After filling out one simple and secure online form you could be on your way to learning more about your city, state and world than you ever have before.